No running game? Jordan Howard has run for more than 100 yards in two of the last three games and Ka'Deem Carey returned from an injury to average 5.6 yards in Sunday's 17-16 loss to the Jacksonville Jaguars.

Quarterback Brian Hoyer can't find Alshon Jeffery in the passing game? Against the Jaguars, Jeffery had 90 first-half receiving yards on six catches.

Toss in how the defense has begun making big plays, like Willie Young's fourth-quarter strip sack and a first-quarter interception by Tracy Porter in the end zone.

The Bears have become more and more consistent and it still hasn't paid off in the victory column. At 1-5, they keep finding ways to lose as they head into a short work week for Thursday's game in Green Bay.

"I think our guys can see how close we are," coach John Fox said Monday. "Yesterday was no different than the week before against Indy. Just like the week before winning a close game (against Detroit).

"The difference: it's four or five plays."

On defense, they suffered through poor third-down conversion rates early in the year. And in the last three games, they've allowed an outstanding 26 percent (9-for-34).

"I mean, we gave away a couple plays but all in all we're getting better every week and it's showing out there," linebacker Danny Trevathan said. "Turnovers, execution -- but it's just a couple plays here and there that we have to minimize."

Sunday's game-winning touchdown typified a snake-bit team.

Receiver Arrelious Benn falls to the ground making a catch, but Tracy Porter slips in coverage and is unable to recover in time to touch Benn down. Benn gets up and runs to the end zone.

Offensively, the red zone remains a huge problem. On Sunday, they converted just 1 of 4 trips there into touchdowns after going 1-for-3 the previous week.